Quantum Leap: Rebirth
by Black Scarab
Summary: In the same vein as Sliders: TNG, I take on continuing another one of my favorite shows from the 90's, Quantum Leap. In this story, sixteen years after Sam Beckett never returned home, Ben Fuller, son of Dr. Samantha Jo Fuller and grandson of Sam Beckett accidentally enters the accelerator during a test and is sent on a journey much like his grandfather's.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue: Rebirth Part I, July 23rd, 2015

_Theorizing that one could time travel within his own lifetime, Doctor Sam Beckett stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator - and vanished. More than two decades later, Ben Fuller steps into the Quantum Leap accelerator and vanishes. He awakes to find himself trapped in the past, facing mirror images that are not his own and driven by an unknown force to change history for the better. His only guide on this journey is Al, an observer from his own time, who appears in the form of a hologram that only Ben can see and hear. And so Ben Fuller finds himself leaping from life to life, striving to put right what once went wrong, and hoping each time, that the next leap, will be the leap home._

Ben Fuller stepped out of the elevator at Project Quantum Leap, where his mother had worked at for almost twenty years. He had heard about it as a kid, but seeing it was always a treat. Ben was interning at the Project, since he was very into string theory, especially Professor LoNigro's.

"Ben!" Gooshie called, as Ben made his way over to the programmer. "How are you today?"

"Doing good, Gooshie." Ben said. "What's on the agenda for today?"

"Today we're doing the yearly tune-up of the Accelerator. Even though Dr. Beckett's been gone for a while, we want to make sure that if he ever needed it, we could send someone after him."

"A noble goal." Ben said.

He walked down the hallway to the offices, and found his mother, Samantha Jo Fuller, sitting in her office, looking over papers.

"Hey, Mom." Ben said.

"Ben! There you are!" she said. "Have you gotten bored of this place yet?"

"Bored? How could anyone get bored here?" Ben asked.

"Trust me, it's possible. Especially if you're doing all the paperwork." she said.

"You seem busy, I'm going to go look around some more. Think they'd let me see the Imaging Chamber?" Ben asked.

"They might. Go ask." she replied.

Ben walked out and back into the main control room, where Gooshie was absent. Ben looked around and noticed that the door to the accelerator chamber was open. He walked over and poked his head in. It was a big room, with a large circle in the center. Ben stepped into the room and started to look around.

"Wow." Ben said.

He walked to the center of the room and looked at the circle sunk into the floor.

"Can't believe that this is where Dr. Beckett vanished." Ben said.

Suddenly the door to the Accelerator Chamber closed. Ben jumped, and ran towards the door. There was no handle or button to re-open it. He began to pound on the door.

"Help!" he shouted.

Meanwhile, Gooshie and Tina stood at Ziggy's console and began punching in sequences.

"Ziggy? Are you prepared for the test?" Tina asked.

"Yes I am, Dr. Martinez-O'Farrell." Ziggy replied. "Shall I commence the test of the Accelerator Chamber? It's all I ever get to do anymore."

"Test without the sarcasm." Tina said.

"As you wish." Ziggy said. "Testing commenced. Accelerator Chamber is now locked. Will be unlocked as soon as the test ends."

"Wait a minute, Ziggy." Gooshie said. "There's a bio-sign in the Accelerator Chamber. And it's not a bug, it's human!"

"Human?" Tina asked.

"Who's unaccounted for?" Gooshie asked.

"The only people working today are the two of us, and Dr. Fuller." Tina replied.

"Ben!" they both shouted at the same time.

Ben continued pounding on the door, but had sat down next to it. He heard pounding from the other side.

"Ben!" Gooshie shouted.

"Gooshie!" Ben shouted. "Get me outta here!"

"We can't! The chamber is locked until the test is over." Gooshie said. He turned to Tina. "Go get Dr. Fuller, and call Admiral Calavicci."

"Got it." Tina said, running down the corridor.

Al sat in his chair in front of the television. He was watching a re-run of an old episode of The A-Team, when the phone rang. He picked it up.

"You've got Al, what's up Gooshie?" Al asked.

"It's Tina, and we've got a problem." Tina replied.

"Problem?" Al asked.

"Ben Fuller is trapped in the Accelerator Chamber during a test." Tina replied.

Al's face turned from shock into a dawning realization. He dropped the phone, only to quickly fumble it back up.

"I'll be right there." Al said, running to his car.

Dr. Samantha Fuller was standing in front of the door, her face a look of anguish, as her son was trapped behind a sealed door with an unstable time machine.

"Ben!" she shouted.

"Mom! If anything happens... I want you to know that I love you!" Ben shouted.

"Don't say that, we'll get you out! Don't worry!" Samantha Fuller shouted.

Al rushed down the corridor and ran up to Dr. Fuller. She turned around and her eyes widened when she saw him.

"Admiral! I thought you were retired!" Dr. Fuller said.

"I am, but this is an emergency." Al said. "A big one."

"Well, he can't leap right?" Dr. Fuller said. "Only you and Dr. Beckett can... Right?"

"That's complicated..." Al started. "You might want to sit down."

"Why?" Dr. Fuller asked.

"This is going to be a kick in the butt." Al replied. "Back in '99, during the last year before Sam went off leaping as himself, Sam leapt into Sheriff Clayton Fuller."

"My grandfather?"

"Yeah. Then he leapt into Will Kinman."

"My father?"

"Well, your dad in the sense that he was married to your mother."

"What do you mean, Admiral?"

"Sam leapt into your father, on the night of your conception. Your biological father, is Sam Beckett. That's why you have a high IQ and eidetic memory."

"What?" Dr. Fuller asked, shocked.

"And since Ben is your son, and your father is Sam Beckett...he could potentially leap." Al replied. "If his brain-waves matched Sam's."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Dr. Fuller asked.

"At the time, you had just joined the Project, and Ziggy said that if I told you, you'd leave the Project, and you're the only one keeping this place running aside from Gooshie and Tina. We needed you." Al replied.

"Admiral, Dr. Fuller! The Accelerator is about to activate!" Gooshie shouted.

"Won't those doors open?" Al asked.

"They're sealed for safety, and there's no backdoor to get through!" Gooshie replied.

"Crap. Let's hope that I'm wrong and that his brain-waves don't match." Al said. "Ziggy! What are the odds that Ben will leap?"

"Almost 100 percent Admiral." Ziggy said.

"I'm sorry, Samantha." Al said, solemnly.

Dr. Fuller sat in front of the Accelerator Chamber door.

"Ben! I love you!" she shouted.

"I love you too, Mom!" Ben shouted back, as the light engulfed him.

Ben felt as if he was floating in a void. He couldn't see anything, but it felt... blue. His vision faded in, as he saw an older woman sitting in front of him. One that he didn't recognize. In fact, he didn't recognize anything. He was in a classroom, the blackboard still having remnants of a lesson from earlier in the day. He felt like something was wrong, but he couldn't figure out what. What he knew was that the woman in front of him was very angry with him.

"Mr. Tessaro! Are you paying attention to me?" the woman asked.

"_Who?" Ben thought. "I'm not Mr. Tessaro, whoever that is. But who am I?"_

"Mr. Tessaro?" the woman asked. Ben glanced at the placard on her desk. Mrs. McRichards.

"Uh, sorry Ma'am." Ben said.

"Ma'am? Looks like you can learn to be respectful." Mrs. McRichards said. "If you don't start to shape up soon, you'll be heading for a life of dereliction!"

"Oh boy." Ben sighed.

_**To Be Continued...**_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1: Rebirth Part II, April 15th, 1985

_Theorizing that one could time travel within his own lifetime, Doctor Sam Beckett stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator - and vanished. More than two decades later, Ben Fuller steps into the Quantum Leap accelerator and vanishes. He awakes to find himself trapped in the past, facing mirror images that are not his own and driven by an unknown force to change history for the better. His only guide on this journey is Al, an observer from his own time, who appears in the form of a hologram that only Ben can see and hear. And so Ben Fuller finds himself leaping from life to life, striving to put right what once went wrong, and hoping each time, that the next leap, will be the leap home._

Ben's vision faded in, as he saw an older woman sitting in front of him. One that he didn't recognize. In fact, he didn't recognize anything. He was in a classroom, the blackboard still having remnants of a lesson from earlier in the day. He felt like something was wrong, but he couldn't figure out what. What he knew was that the woman in front of him was very angry with him.

"Mr. Tessaro! Are you paying attention to me?" the woman asked.

"_Who?" Ben thought. "I'm not Mr. Tessaro, whoever that is. But who am I?"_

"Mr. Tessaro?" the woman asked. Ben glanced at the placard on her desk. Mrs. McRichards.

"Uh, sorry Ma'am." Ben said.

"Ma'am? Looks like you can learn to be respectful." Mrs. McRichards said. "If you don't start to shape up soon, you'll be heading for a life of dereliction!"

"Oh boy." Ben sighed.

"Oh boy is right. I've called your parents and they're on their way to pick you up." Mrs. McRichards said.

"Okay." Ben said.

A few moments later, a woman walked into the room. Ben could tell she was Italian. Probably in her early forties.

"Daniel Tessaro!" the woman shouted.

"_Must be my mom..." Ben thought._

"You are in deep trouble!" Daniel's mother shouted.

"I'm sorry?" Ben asked.

"Sorry doesn't cut it, mister!" Daniel's mother shouted. "You are coming home this instant!"

"Okay, mom." Ben said.

He was led to a car, a blue 1983 Honda Accord. He got into the passenger seat and pulled on his seat belt. Daniel's mother started to drive the car. Ben started to look around and absentmindedly looked in the side view mirror. He jumped back.

"What's wrong?" Daniel's mother asked.

"Uh... The mirror." Ben said.

"What's wrong with it?" she asked.

"It looks weird." Ben said.

"Oh, I know what you're doing! You're trying to distract me so that I won't punish you the moment we get home! Well it won't work, mister!"

"_Is that me?" Ben asked himself, looking in the mirror again. The boy in the mirror was younger than him, by a few years at least. "I'm... nineteen. He's seventeen, and still in high school. I remember graduating."_

Al stood over Ziggy's console. Gooshie was putting in parameters and Dr. Fuller was pacing in corridor.

"Where is he?" Al asked.

"Well, Ziggy can't get a lock on him." Gooshie replied.

"You checked his entire lifetime?" Al asked.

"Yes, Admiral. From his birth in 1995, until today." Gooshie replied.

"Ziggy, any hypothesis?" Al asked.

"Well, Admiral Calavicci, since you so graciously asked, you are aware that Ben Fuller contains similar brain-waves to those of Dr. Beckett, correct?" Ziggy replied.

"Yeah?" Al said. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, if he contains similar brain-waves, isn't it possible that he can leap within Dr. Beckett's lifetime?" Ziggy said.

"Put in Dr. Beckett's lifetime in the parameters, Gooshie!" Dr. Fuller shouted.

"Got it, Dr. Fuller." Gooshie said. "We've got a lock! 1985!"

"1985..." Al said. "Not the worst year for the poor kid. Fire up the Imaging Chamber!"

The car stopped and Daniel's mother got out of the car, as did Ben, following her into the house.

"Would you like me to tell your father what you did, or will you?" Daniel's mother asked when they got into the house, stopping in front of a rather angry older Italian man.

"You can tell him." Ben said.

"He got into another fight! And he was the one that started it!" Daniel's mother said.

"You're in deep trouble, son." Daniel's father said.

Suddenly, Ben looked behind Daniel's parents and saw a man in a white suit with a multi-colored flashing gadget in his hand. He recognized the man, but didn't know from where. The man pointed at Ben, then himself, then to the ceiling.

"Can... Can I just go to my room?" Ben asked.

"You can go there until dinner, we'll have a punishment decided by then." Daniel's mother replied.

Ben ran upstairs and found "his" room. He walked inside and closed the door behind him.

"Where are you?" Ben whispered.

The man in the white suit walked out from the closet, walking through the wall. Ben jumped.

"Who are you?" Ben asked.

"A better question is, do you know me?" the man replied.

"I recognize you, but I don't have a name to the face." Ben said.

"My name, is Al." the man said.

Ben's memory flashed, he saw this man, Al, dressed in a US Navy dress uniform, holding a cigar very similar to the one he was holding now.

"Admiral Calavicci!" Ben shouted.

"You know me! Do you know your name?" Al asked.

"No. But it's definitely not Daniel Tessaro." Ben replied.

"Your name is Ben. Ben Fuller." Al said.

"Yeah, that sounds right. Ben Fuller." Ben said, as his memory flashed to a woman, his actual mother, not Daniel's. "My mom is Dr. Samantha Jo Fuller!" Ben said. "She works at Project..."

"Project Quantum Leap." Al finished.

"Run by Dr..." Ben started. "Samuel Beckett. He's the short guy with bad breath!"

"No. That's Gooshie. Dr. Beckett disappeared over a decade ago." Al said. "He was in the Accelerator Chamber like you were."

"And he time traveled?" Ben asked. "Did I time travel?"

"Yeah. It's 1985, April the 15th. You are Daniel Tessaro. A problem child who's about to go down the road leading to a life of crime and end up in prison at age seventeen." Al replied. "That's what you're here to change."

"Change?" Ben asked.

"Quantum Leaping forces the leaper, you, to change events and put right what once went wrong." Al replied. "We think it's God, Fate, Time or someone else."

"I just got another memory flash!" Ben said. "Quantum Leap can only leap you to within your own lifetime. I wasn't born for another decade!"

"You share similar brain-waves to Sam. You're leaping within your lifetime, and his." Al said.

"Oh my god." Ben said. "That's sixty two years!"

"Anyway, in two days, Daniel Tessaro and his cronies rob a convenience store, one of them kills the cashier, not Daniel, but the group are tried as adults and are put away and it ruins Daniel's life, sending him on a slippery slope that culminates in his death in a police shootout ten years later." Al said.

"So, I'm here to stop that robbery." Ben said.

"Yeah, and then you leap out of here." Al said.

"And go home?" Ben asked.

"Maybe. It never worked for Sam, but maybe it'll work for you." Al replied.

"What does Ziggy say?" Ben asked.

"You remember Ziggy?"Al replied.

"No. Just the name." Ben said.

"Ah. Ziggy's the computer in charge of the project. Ziggy says that there is a 98.7 probability that you're here to change that robbery." Al said.

"How do I do that?" Ben asked.

"Don't rob a store. Seems easy enough." Al replied.

"I'll try." Ben said.

"Anyway, I've gotta get back to the Project. Good luck, we'll be in touch." Al said as he opened the door to the Imaging Chamber and walked out.

"Daniel! Dinner time!" Daniel's mother shouted.

Ben walked downstairs and sat at the table. He looked at Daniel's parents, as they were eating, and spoke up.

"So, I think I know a suitable punishment for myself." Ben said.

"Oh? Let's hear it." Daniel's father said.

"Ground me for a week? No friends, no television, no video games?" Ben asked.

"That's... not a bad punishment. I like it!" Daniel's father said.

"You've got it. You are grounded for the next week." Daniel's mother said.

"Thanks, mom!" Ben said.

"Thanks?" Daniel's mother asked.

"Uh, I'm going to clean up my act. Thanks for giving me a chance." Ben replied.

"Right. Eat your dinner." Daniel's mother said.

The next morning Ben woke up and left for school, remembering the way from the car ride. As he walked a group of three guys around his age came up behind him. They all had leather jackets and slicked back hair, almost like they were out of West Side Story.

"Where you going, Danny Boy?" one of them asked.

"I don't want any trouble." Ben said.

"Well you've found it." another boy sneered.

"That's what all the teachers call us, after all. Trouble." the third boy laughed.

"What's got you so spooked, Danny?" the first boy asked.

"Oh, it's nothing." Ben said, laughing nervously.

"You're acting like you've never seen us before!" the second boy said.

"Well, I'm only acting like this because my parents grounded me. Can't hang out with you." Ben said.

"That's not what you said last time!" the first boy said.

"Anyway, we still on for Wednesday night?" the third boy asked.

"Shut your trap, Vinny!" the first boy said.

"Gotta keep this on the down low." the second boy said.

"That's right, Johnny." the first boy said.

"Sorry, Alex." Vinny said.

"So let's get to school. But remember, Wednesday night, at the Quick Stop, I'll bring the equipment." Alex said.

"Got it." Vinny said.

Ben sat at his desk in Daniel's first class, looked at his notes and sighed.

"Where are you, Al?" Ben asked.

Al stood in front of Ziggy's console and groaned.

"What do you mean the odds of Tessaro being arrested for the robbery haven't gone down yet?" Al asked.

"I mean exactly that. The odds are still at 97.9% that Daniel Tessaro is still arrested in two days." Ziggy replied.

"Ben got the kid grounded. He can't rob a store if he can't leave the house!" Al said.

"Obviously he leaves the house." Ziggy said.

"Tell me you have good news, Gooshie." Al said. "How's the retrieval program coming?"

"Sorry, Admiral, but it's a lot to work with. We haven't touched that program since Dr. Beckett modified it when you simo-leaped with him." Gooshie said. "It's a fifteen year old program, and it's hard to upgrade it to compensate for Ben."

"Keep at it, Gooshie." Al said. "Ziggy! Where's Dr. Fuller?"

"In her office, Admiral." Ziggy said.

"Thanks." Al said, as he walked out of the control room and into the offices.

Dr. Samantha Fuller sat at her desk, staring blankly at the paperwork sitting before her.

"Samantha?" Al asked.

"Yes?" she replied.

"I'm so sorry." Al said. "Had I known that there was a chance he could leap, I'd have told you sooner."

"I can never see my son again." she said, her eyes tearing up.

"Not exactly." Al said. "If we don't get that retrieval program working, Ziggy may be able to patch you into the Imaging Chamber."

"What?" she asked.

"Well, remember when Sam leaped into that killer, and the killer escaped? Well, we hooked Gooshie through, but it didn't work very well, since the brain-waves weren't in sync. But Ben is your son, therefore your brain-waves may match enough that you could see him if you wanted to." Al said.

"Really?" she asked.

"Yes really. You can't touch him, but you'd be able to have conversations. Which is good, since I can't be here all the time, with Beth and the family and all." Al replied. "We could tag team being the Project Observer."

"Thanks, Al." she said.

"Anyway, I've gotta get going." Al said.

Ben sat at his desk in school and listened as much as he could, as he worried about the impending events.

"Hey, ask to use the bathroom." Al said, walking through the wall.

"Al!" Ben whispered. He raised his hand.

"Yes?" Mrs. McRichards said.

"Can I use the bathroom?" Ben asked.

"I don't know, can you?" she replied.

"May I, use the bathroom?" Ben asked.

"Yes." she said, handing him a pass as he walked into the hallway.

"What's the situation? I got him grounded, shouldn't I have leaped?" Ben asked.

"According to Ziggy, he doesn't stay grounded. He sneaks out that night." Al replied.

"Why can't my first leap be easy?" Ben asked.

"Hey, Sam's first leap had him in the body of a test pilot, and had to fly a plane at Mach 3." Al replied. "And he didn't know how to fly the damn thing."

"I met his cronies. They seem like the type to kill a cashier." Ben said.

"We ran some research on them too, Alex is the one that pulls the trigger. Vinny and Johnny bring knives, and Daniel's on the sideline, holding the money bag." Al said.

"So, how do I change it?" Ben asked.

"Find some way to stop them. Ziggy's got no idea on what you could try to do, though." Al replied.

"Thanks." Ben said.

Later, Ben stood in the bathroom at Daniel's house. He sighed and looked in the mirror, he took a moment to really study Daniel's face. He had black, slicked back hair and a face that seemed perpetually scowling.

"Danny, you seem like a good kid. Why do you hang out with those guys?" Ben asked his reflection. His attention snapped away when someone banged on the window. Ben walked over and opened it, and Alex popped his head in.

"Taking this grounded stuff very seriously this time, Danny. Why?" Alex asked, climbing into the room.

"Because, my parents were ready to... tear me a new one." Ben said. "I have to make them think that I care about their stupid punishments."

"But you're still on for Wednesday, right?" Alex asked.

"I'm not too sure. They've been keeping a closer watch on me at night, I don't think I'd be able to sneak out." Ben replied.

"Don't pussy out on me, Tessaro. You're a part of this team, and we do things together." Alex said. "Wednesday night, don't forget. You need to bring the bag to hold the money."

"Got it..." Ben sighed.

Ben walked down the street on Wednesday night, following the three delinquent boys, shifting around uneasily.

"Okay, so we get there, then we go in, act normal, and catch the clerk off guard." Alex said.

"Good idea." Vinny said, flicking out his switchblade.

"Let's do this." Johnny said.

The boys came upon the storefront, and hid in the alleyway next to the store. Ben looked around, seeing Al come through the wall. He pointed toward a bathroom.

"Guys, my stomach isn't so good. Can we hold off for a little?" Ben asked.

"Danny, only cause it's you, I'll let you go. Be quick." Alex replied.

Ben walked into the bathroom behind the store and Al walked into the room.

"I couldn't get them to leave me at home." Ben said. "What do I do?"

"You have to find some way to change it. The odds are going up. They were at 97%, and now they're at 98%." Al said.

"How?" Ben asked.

"Is there any way to call the cops or anything, anonymous tip?" Al replied.

"No, they'd hear me do it. But..." Ben started.

"But what?" Al asked.

"What if I could trick them into getting themselves arrested without any physical violence?" Ben replied.

"How could you do that?" Al asked.

"All I have to do is..." Ben started.

Ben walked back to Johnny, Vinny and Alex. Alex handed him the bag and took out the gun.

"Wait!" Ben said. "I have an idea on how we can get the money, but not have to attack the clerk."

"Do tell, Danny boy." Alex said.

"If I go in, and ask the clerk to check the back for something, you guys can sneak in and take the money while he's distracted, then we run. Easy as pie." Ben said.

"That's... actually not a bad plan." Alex said. "Playing it safe, but we still get the money, and that's what we want."

"Good. I'll go in now. You guys come in when he goes to the back room." Ben said.

"Got it." Alex said.

Ben walked into the store and up to the clerk. He looked at the magazines sitting at the counter and leaned to talk to the clerk.

"There are three boys outside who are planning to rob you. One of them has a knife, and one has a gun. Does this place have a lock for the automatic doors?" Ben asked.

"Uh, yeah, it's in the back." the clerk said.

"Good. Listen, in a few seconds I want you to walk to the back, and then watch the cameras for when I walk out, then lock the doors." Ben said. "Lock the doors to the back and call the cops when you get back there."

"And what do I tell them?" the clerk asked.

"Anonymous tip that someone said that the store was gonna get robbed. No name." Ben said.

"Thank you... I think." the clerk said.

"Don't mention it. Go now." Ben said.

The clerk walked to the back and Alex, Vinny and Johnny walked into the store. Ben quickly ran out and booked it back to Daniel's house, sneaking into the window. Al walked out of the wall.

"You did it!" Al said. "Your first leap was a success!"

"What happens?" Ben asked.

"Well, those three are arrested on attempted robbery, go away for a few years, and become decent members of society." Al replied.

"And Daniel?" Ben asked.

"He buckles down and fixes his life up. Unfortunately he doesn't get his grades up, and he becomes a local mechanic. But he has a wife and kids and he's happy." Al replied.

"And that's what matters." Ben said.

"Ready to leap? We're going to test the retrieval program." Al said.

"Let's do it." Ben said as his vision faded and he returned to the void.

He felt a surge of energy and his vision faded back in. He looked around and hoped to see the accelerator chamber. He saw bright lights, and he squinted. He looked to his left and saw a girl standing next to him.

"I said, O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name; Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And I'll no longer be a Capulet." the girl said. "Romeo?"

"O boy..." Ben said, as he stared at her blankly.

_**To Be Continued...**_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2: What Light Through Yonder Window Leaps? March 23rd, 1997

_ Theorizing that one could time travel within his own lifetime, Doctor Sam Beckett stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator - and vanished. More than two decades later, Ben Fuller steps into the Quantum Leap accelerator and vanishes. He awakes to find himself trapped in the past, facing mirror images that are not his own and driven by an unknown force to change history for the better. His only guide on this journey is Al, an observer from his own time, who appears in the form of a hologram that only Ben can see and hear. And so Ben Fuller finds himself leaping from life to life, striving to put right what once went wrong, and hoping each time, that the next leap, will be the leap home._

Ben's vision faded in from the void. He looked around and saw bright lights, and squinted. He looked to his left and saw a girl standing next to him.

"I said, O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name; Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And I'll no longer be a Capulet." the girl said. "Romeo?"

"O boy..." Ben said, as he stared at her blankly.

"Cut!" a voice shouted. The lights went off and Ben saw a man holding a clipboard walk up to him.

"James! What's the matter? You had the lines memorized two minutes ago!" the man shouted. "Everyone take five!"

"James, are you okay?" the girl asked.

"Uh, yeah. I need to sit down." Ben replied and walked to the auditorium seats below the stage.

"So, can I get a kiss before we do the big kissing scene?" the girl asked.

"Uh... Maybe not right now." Ben stammered. He didn't know who this girl was, and couldn't kiss her without figuring that out.

"Not this again. No fraternizing during rehearsal, because the theater is more important than your girlfriend. I thought if I was the lead you'd at least let a little fraternizing..." the girl mocked.

"Kalie!" a person shouted from the stage.

"Be right back." Kalie said, walking away from Ben.

"Oh, the theater! How I love it!" Al said, walking through the seats behind Ben.

"Al!" Ben whispered.

"Yeah. Listen, we might want to find a place to talk privately." Al said.

"Good idea." Ben said.

Ben walked out of the auditorium and into a bathroom. He looked in the mirror and studied his face. He saw a teenage boy, probably only a year younger than Ben was. He had blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. Ben noticed for the first time that he was wearing a costume. Specifically a Shakespearean costume.

"So, where am I?" Ben asked.

"Well... You're in a school bathroom right now." Al replied.

"I mean what year!" Ben said.

"I know, trying to lighten the mood. It's March 23rd, 1997. You are James Tucker, and you are a senior at Woodrow Wilson High School in... Albany, New York." Al said.

"What do I have to change?" Ben asked.

"Well, in the original history, in about a week, the first performance of Romeo and Juliet goes on, and James is discovered by a talent scout from Julliard." Al replied. "And he ends up with an illustrious career as a stage actor, eventually crossing into television and film."

"Then why am I here?" Ben asked. "Sounds like this guy has it made!"

"Not quite. On the night of the show, James has a fight with Kalie Archer, his girlfriend, and she leaves, leading her understudy to perform." Al said. "After she leaves, she's in a car accident, and she doesn't make it."

"What?" Ben asked, remembering the girl he was with on stage. "So I have to stop her from dying?"

"Yeah. And see if you can squeeze that talent scout in as well, Ziggy says that there's a 95.6% chance that you can save Kalie and get the Julliard scholarship." Al said. "They're both equally important."

"But mainly focus on Kalie?" Ben asked.

"Yeah, mostly her. History can probably handle the loss of the Julliard thing." Al said. "Anyway, I have to get going. Meeting with Beth for lunch."

"Have fun." Ben said.

"Oh, I will." Al said, as he stepped through his door.

"How am I going to memorize an entire play?" Ben asked himself, head in his hands.

The director walked back on stage and tapped the microphone.

"Okay, back to work everyone!" the director shouted.

Ben pulled on his backpack and walked out of the auditorium. Kalie ran up to him and grabbed him.

"Aren't you giving me a ride home?" Kalie asked.

"Right, sorry. I've just got so much on my mind, with the show and everything." Ben said.

"Good. Let's go, you know my mom hates it when I'm late." Kalie said.

"Right." Ben said, holding the door for Kalie as they walked out of the school building.

Kalie stood outside a car and Ben started to fish through his pockets for the keys. He pulled a key out of his pocket and opened the car doors. Kalie got in the passenger seat and sat down. Ben started to drive, and turned down a street.

"Why did you turn here?" Kalie asked.

"Uh, taking the scenic route?" Ben replied, nervously smiling.

"Just go the regular way." Kalie said.

"And that would be...?" Ben asked.

"I am really not in the mood for jokes." Kalie replied.

"I'm having a brain-fart today. With the play and everything, my brain is taxed." Ben said.

"Go down Elm and I'll tell you when to stop." Kalie said.

"Thanks, Kalie." Ben said.

"Why so formal?" Kalie asked.

"No reason." Ben said.

Ben pulled up to her driveway and Kalie got out of the car. She walked around to the driver's side and poked her head in the window.

"What? No goodbye kiss?" Kalie asked.

"Oh, yeah." Ben replied as he leaned in to kiss her.

"See you tomorrow." Kalie said.

"Yep." Ben said as he pulled the car out and started driving. "Wait a minute... Where do I live?"

Later, Ben sat in James' room and looked through the script. He threw it down in frustration.

"What I wouldn't give for Dr. Beckett's eidetic memory..." Ben sighed as he put the script facedown on the table. "Let's start again. Ay me! sad hours seem long. Was that my father that went hence so fast?"

He picked up the script again and read the next few lines, before placing the script down once again.

"...Not having... damn it!" Ben shouted.

"Well, it's no Man of La Mancha, but it's an okay play." Al said.

"There you are! Here to help me memorize my lines?" Ben asked.

"I can do that, but I'm mostly here to check in. How's Kalie?" Al replied.

"Still alive, and pissed at me for the time being. But I'm working on it." Ben said. "I can't memorize this in a week!"

"Just keep trying. Sam managed to memorize Man of La Mancha in half that time, and odds are that you can too." Al said. "And if not, I can just give you the lines on opening night and at rehearsals."

"Good. I'll need all the help I can get." Ben said. "Have the odds changed?"

"Nope. They've stayed steady, you can definitely do what you need to do here. A nice, easy leap."

"I hope you're right."

The next day, Ben walked to the auditorium after school and prepared himself for the rehearsal ahead of him, when the director walked up to him.

"Not going to flub your lines today, are you?" he asked.

"Uh..." Ben started.

"I'm just kidding. We all have off days. But I'd be on your game, I've got a friend from Julliard coming to scout out talent on opening night. Keep that under your hat, though. I don't want too many people to know." the director said.

"Got it." Ben said, motioning a zipper movement over his mouth.

"Great. We're starting in five minutes, get ready."

After rehearsal, Ben drove Kalie home and returned to James' house to study his lines. While he was studying, the phone in James' room rang. Ben picked it up.

"Hello?" Ben asked.

"Hey there, Romeo." Kalie replied.

"Oh, hey Kalie. What's up?"

"Well... I was just figuring that we could do something after rehearsal tomorrow. My mom is going to be working late, so we can hang out here at my place."

"That sounds good. Maybe while I'm there we can..."

"We can do what?"

"Go over our lines for the play!" Ben exclaimed excitedly.

"Ugh. I knew it. You care more about that stupid play than you do about me!"

"That's not true, I just want to make sure I've got everything down for opening night. We've worked too hard to blow it now!"

"Maybe you have..."

"I'm sorry. It's just..."

"The play is important and you have to be perfect. I know, you say that every time I confront you about this! I don't know why I thought today would be different. I'll talk to you later."

"Wait!" Ben shouted, but she had already hung up. "Simple leap, my ass..."

The next few days went by as a blur for Ben, between rehearsals, costume fittings and his constant attempts to please Kalie which always seemed to backfire. The night of the show came and Ben was very nervous as the backstage area bustled with movement. He shifted uncomfortably in his costume, which was a little bit too short on the pant legs due to the height difference between him and James. Kalie walked across the stage in her costume and Ben walked up to her.

"Hey! Are you excited?" he asked.

"Yeah..." Kalie replied.

"You know, the director said there's going to be a scout from Julliard in the audience. This could be a good night." Ben said.

"Good for you." Kalie said.

"And after tonight, you'll be the most important thing in my life." Ben said.

"See you on stage." Kalie said.

Ben walked to his designated place and looked around.

"Al, I need you..." Ben said as his entrance onto the stage grew ever closer.

The Imaging Chamber door opened and Ben smiled as he saw Al walk out with a Romeo and Juliet script.

"Sorry I'm late, did it start yet?" Al asked.  
"Not yet." Ben replied.

"Have you made any progress with Kalie?" Al asked. "Ziggy still says she dies."

"How is that possible? She's here, we haven't fought, she should be fine!" Ben replied.

"Just keep on your toes, the deciding factor might be something that happens right before the show starts." Al said.

"Got it." Ben said.

"We would as willingly give cure as know." the actor playing Montague said and Ben walked out onstage for his part.

Ben stood on stage as he performed his part, with Al's help and walked off stage when he was finished, waiting in the wings to watch Kalie's part. He waited for Kalie's entrance, but instead saw her understudy walk out instead.

"What happened to Kalie?" Al asked.

"I don't know..." Ben replied and turned to the stage manager. "Where's Kalie?"

"She said she wasn't feeling good and went home." they said.

"What? When?" Ben asked.

"About five minutes ago." they replied.

"Damn it!" Ben shouted as he punched the wall.

"Al! Center yourself in on Kalie and tell me where she is. I'll go looking for her." Ben said.  
"Got it." Al said, hitting buttons on the handlink until his disappeared.

"But you have to go on in the next scene!" the stage manager shouted.

"Have the understudy do it!" Ben shouted as he started to run towards the back door of the auditorium. Al reappeared and pointed towards the door.

"She just got in the car, we still have time! Go!" he shouted as Ben sprinted outside and saw Kalie's car starting up.

Ben ran up to the car and started tapping on the window. Kalie rolled the window down.

"What do you want?"

"Why did you bail on the play?"

"I never really wanted to do it. I did it because I wanted to share something with you. Every time there's a play, I just get tossed to the wayside while you act."

Ben searched his mind for something he thought that James would have said if he was there.

"I... I didn't realize that. You know it's my dream to be an actor."

"Yeah, but I was hoping I fit into your dreams somehow..."

"You do! Of course you do! When... if I get famous, I want to do it with you by my side!"

"Really?"

"Yes. I didn't mean to make you feel left out when I'm acting."

"It's okay. I just... I felt like you liked acting more than me."

"Let's get out of here."

"But what about the play?"

"There will be other plays. You're more important to me right now."

"Oh, James!" Kalie said as she opened the passenger side door and let Ben climb inside the car. She grabbed him and passionately kissed him as Al looked on, grinning.

"I knew it was only a matter of time before you got the girl." Al laughed.

"Wow..." Ben said as the kiss ended.

"We should get back inside, we have a play to finish." Kalie said.

Ben and Kalie stepped out of the car and Kalie ran back into the school. Ben turned to Al, who was looking at the handlink.

"How does everything turn out?" Ben asked.

"Kalie survives the night, and... both her and James get Julliard scholarships, will you look at that, they get to go together." Al replied.

"Al... does the kissing happen a lot during quantum leaping?" Ben asked.

"Well that depends on if you've got the same choir boy mentality that Sam had." Al replied.

"I guess we'll see about that..." Ben said as his vision faded and he returned to the void.

Ben felt his vision fade back in from the void. He looked around the room, noticing the walls were painted in a faded pink color. He looked down and saw he was wearing a white button down shirt with a red vest and a plaid skirt.

"A kilt? Did I leap into Scotland?" Ben asked as he looked into the mirror, and jumped back.

He stared at the image in the mirror, which was the image of a very confused teenage girl. Her brown eyes stared back at Ben with the look of the confusion that Ben felt at that moment. She had long brown hair that she touched with her slender hands as Ben grasped at the air beside his head.

"Becca!" a voice shouted as another teenage girl popped her head into the room, which caused Ben to jump back again. "Are you ready yet, we'll be late for school!"

"Oh... girl." Ben sighed.

_**To Be Continued...**_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3: A Friend in Need, June 28th, 1991

_ Theorizing that one could time travel within his own lifetime, Doctor Sam Beckett stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator - and vanished. More than two decades later, Ben Fuller steps into the Quantum Leap accelerator and vanishes. He awakes to find himself trapped in the past, facing mirror images that are not his own and driven by an unknown force to change history for the better. His only guide on this journey is Al, an observer from his own time, who appears in the form of a hologram that only Ben can see and hear. And so Ben Fuller finds himself leaping from life to life, striving to put right what once went wrong, and hoping each time, that the next leap, will be the leap home._

Ben felt his vision fade back in from the void. He looked around the room, noticing the walls were painted in a faded pink color. He looked down and saw he was wearing a white button down shirt with a red vest and a plaid skirt.

"A kilt? Did I leap into Scotland?" Ben asked as he looked into the mirror, and jumped back.

He stared at the image in the mirror, which was the image of a very confused teenage girl. Her brown eyes stared back at Ben with the look of the confusion that Ben felt at that moment. She had long brown hair that she touched with her slender hands as Ben grasped at the air beside his head.

"Becca!" a voice shouted as another teenage girl popped her head into the room, which caused Ben to jump back again. "Are you ready yet, we'll be late for school!"

"Oh... girl." Ben sighed.

"Come on!" the girl shouted as she walked out of the room.

"Just a few more minutes!" Ben shouted back. "Where are you, Al?"

"Right here!" Al shouted as he walked through the Imaging Chamber door.

"So, for this leap, you're-" Al started.

"A girl." Ben said.

"Yes, a girl. Rebecca Summers, Becca to her parents and friends, a high school senior in Jackson, Mississippi. She's eighteen and the year is-" Al said.

"1991. I figured that from her school ID card." Ben said, holding up a purse in one hand and an ID card in the other.

"Good. Now that it's out of the way, we can figure out what you're here to change." Al said.

"Ziggy doesn't know?" Ben asked.

"Ziggy doesn't have the required information yet. We haven't loaded Ziggy up with a lot of stuff from the nineties yet. Sam never really frequented those years." Al replied.

"Al, I'm a girl!" Ben shouted.

"So what, Sam was a girl a ton of times. I remember the first time, how awkward he was doing it, he ended up getting better at adapting, but that first time, wow." Al laughed.

"Look at me! I look ridiculous!" Ben said, motioning to the girl's school uniform on his male body.

"You know, I once knew a stripper in Vegas that dressed like that. Well, the skirt was shorter, and her blouse barely covered her casabas-"

"Al!" Ben shouted. "You're married!"

"That doesn't mean I didn't have a life before marriage. Besides, she wasn't as good as the one with the box routine."

"Al, I can't do this! I can't be a girl!"

"Don't worry. If Sam could do it, so can you."

"Al, I don't know how to act, or how to talk..."

"Ben, relax. It's not that hard, just watch all the other girls and do what they do."

Suddenly the girl from before popped her head back in the room. She looked Ben up and down and sighed.

"You don't even have your shoes on, come on!" the girl shouted, as she picked up a pair of black flats and tossed them at Ben.

He caught them and put them on his feet, grabbing the purse on the bed.

"Good luck." Al said, as he walked back out of the Imaging Chamber.

Ben and the girl started to walk down the street, as a red Chevy Camaro drove up, with two teenage boys inside.

"Hey, Jenny, Becca." the driver said. "Need a lift?"

"That would be great, right Becca?" Jenny asked.

"Yeah." Ben replied.

Ben and Jenny got into the car and the car began to speed off. Ben looked at the driver and the boy in the passenger seat. They were dressed in the grunge style of the 90's with flannel shirts and backwards baseball caps.

"I had a lot of fun last week, Eric. And the week before." Jenny said to the driver.

"Good." Eric said.

"You know, I wanna have fun with you, Becca." the other boy said. Ben cringed at the thought.

"We could do one of those double dates, you know. Me and Jen and you and Wes." Eric said.

"Well, I'd love to, but..." Ben started. Jenny looked at him pleadingly. "I'd love to..."

"Great, how's tonight sound?" Wes asked.

"Perfect!" Jenny replied.

"Oh boy..." Ben sighed.

Ben walked back into Becca's house and dropped his bag by the door. A woman poked her head out of the kitchen and smiled upon seeing him.

"Hey, honey." the woman said.

"Hey... mom." Ben said.

"How was school?" she asked.

"Uh... good." Ben replied.

"Anything wrong?" she asked.

"No, not yet anyway..." Ben muttered.

Suddenly the imaging chamber door opened behind Becca's mom and Al motioned towards the stairs.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. I'm going to go to my room now."

Ben walked upstairs to Becca's room and closed the door. He turned around and Al looked at the handlink in his hand.

"Alright, what's up?" Ben asked.

"Ziggy knows why you're here." Al replied. "And it's not good."

"Give it to me straight, Al."

"We were pumping information into Ziggy... and it turned up something. You know that girl from this morning?"

"Jenny?"

"Yeah, it turned up her obituary. She dies tomorrow night."

"What? Tomorrow?"

"Yeah, we don't have any info on how it happens though, just the obit. Ziggy is certain that's what you're here to change."

"Can we figure out what she died of? It's obviously preventable if it only leaped me in today."

"We're working as hard as we can, but there's not much stuff to go off of. Whatever happened, it happens between today and tomorrow."

"Keep me posted if you find any more information."

"We will." Al said as he walked back through the imaging chamber door.

"Ugh..." Ben sighed as he fell back onto Becca's bed.

Later, Ben walked slowly down the stairs as he balanced on heels that Jenny insisted he wear. He felt ridiculous and grimaced in the mirror hanging by the front door, looking over his reflection, who he assumed looked better than he did in the dress. He studied her made up face and waited for Jenny to show up.

"You look lovely." a voice said and Ben jumped, turning around to see Becca's father.

"Oh, hey... dad." Ben said.

"You don't seem excited about this date, normally you're rushing to get ready."

"I'm only really doing this for Jenny."

"Ah, you'd do anything for her. I think it's good that you two are best friends, you're good influences on each other."

A car honked and Ben peeked out the window. He saw the red Camaro sitting outside with Jenny in the front seat next to Eric, and Wes in the backseat.

"Gotta go." Ben said, grabbing Becca's purse off of a table by the door and walking outside.

"You look smoking, Becca." Wes said as Ben got into the car.

"Thanks..." Ben said.

"This place is great, I know the staff, they're going to hook us up." Eric said.

"That's awesome!" Jenny said.

The four teens sat in the restaurant as they looked over their menus. Wes started to move his hand onto Ben's leg and Ben glared at him, causing him to move his arm back to his own leg.

"So, Eric. I have to ask you something... privately." Jenny said.

"Sure, let's go outside. Don't order without us." Eric said.

The two of them walked out and Ben sat uneasily across from Wes. Ben silently wished for a cell phone, and after a few minutes, Jenny walked back in looking like she had recently been crying.

"Jenny, what's wrong?" Ben asked.

"I want to go home." Jenny replied.

"Where's Eric?" Wes asked.

"He left... we had a fight." Jenny said.

"Shit! He's my ride!" Wes shouted as he ran out of the restaurant.

"Let's go." Ben said as he grabbed Jenny's hand and walked out of the restaurant with her.

Ben and Jenny walked down the street towards Jenny's house as Jenny looked absentmindedly away from Ben.

"What's wrong?" Ben asked. "I can tell when you're not telling me something."

"It's nothing, really." Jenny replied.

"What was the fight about? I thought you liked him?"

"Promise not to tell anyone?"

"Of course."

"Remember that... fun I had with Eric two weeks ago?"

"Yeah?"

"He.. uh... didn't use protection. I'm..."

"Oh my god... you're..." Ben started as he covered his mouth with his hands.

"Pregnant."

"Does anyone else know?"

"Just you... and Eric. He didn't want anything to do with me."

"That rat bastard..."

"I don't know what to do..."

"It'll be okay. A baby isn't a big setback."

"I don't even know if I'm ready for a baby yet... what if I can't finish school?"

"Calm down. You have to relax and figure it out slowly. You don't need to freak out. The first thing though, you have to tell your parents."

"I can't tell them, you know how they are, they would ground me for just having sex, let alone this."

"You'll need help, and they'll be the best resource."

"Are you sure?"

"They're your parents and they love you, of course they'll help."

"Okay. I trust you."

They walked until they reached Jenny's house and Ben walked back to Becca's house and kicked off his heels the moment he stepped into the house. He walked upstairs and undressed and crashed on the bed, falling asleep.

The next morning, Ben awoke and set to getting ready, being slightly better at it than he had been the day before. Ben walked downstairs and waited for Jenny to show up. Ben checked a clock and noticed that it was about the time that they had left the previous day. He sighed and grabbed his bag, walking to Jenny's house and knocking on the door. Jenny's parents answered the door.

"Hey, Mr. and Mrs. Collins... Is Jenny here? She was supposed to meet me for school." Ben said.

"We have no idea where she is, and as of last night, we no longer care." Jenny's father said.

"What?" Ben asked.

"We no longer have a daughter." Jenny's mother said.

"You know?" Ben asked.

"About her sin? Yes we do. And the lord does not approve, and neither do we." Jenny's father said.

"But she's still your daughter!" Ben shouted. "How could you do that?"

"We do what the lord wants." Jenny's mother said.

"Bullshit! The lord would want you to love your daughter no matter what, not put her out on the streets when she's scared and confused and vulnerable and... oh my god." Ben stopped as he had a realization. He turned away from Jenny's parents and began running down the street. "Al! Get your holographic butt in here!"

Al walked through the Imaging Chamber door with his handlink almost on command and walked up to Ben.

"Al, tell me you have news about Jenny. I think she might do something dangerous." Ben said.

"We have news. We know how she dies."

"How does it happen?"

"She dies of an infection caused by a botched abortion at some back alley place. We can't find an address since the place is closed, but we know she goes there tonight." Al said, somberly. Ben stared in horror.

"That's pretty heavy, Al!" Ben shouted. "I can't make a decision like that for her!"

"You don't have to. Whatever she does afterwards isn't what you're here to change, you're here to save her life. Just stop her from doing it tonight, what she does afterwards is out of our jurisdiction."

"That's fair. Can you lock onto her and tell me where she is?"

"We can't lock on for some reason, some sort of interference. It was hard enough locking the signal onto you. I'd have been here sooner if it wasn't for the issues we had."

"I need to find her, Al!"

"I know, but we don't know where she is. The only guarantee is that she's somewhere in the neighborhood."

"You keep trying, I'm going to keep looking." Ben said as Al stepped back towards the Imaging Chamber.

"We'll do everything we can." Al said as he stepped back into the door and disappeared. Al walked out of the Imaging Chamber and crossed to Gooshie, who was standing over Ziggy's console.

"What's the word, Gooshie?" Al asked.

"Not good Admiral, we still can't get a lock on her. We've been feeding Ziggy the city zoning plans to see if we can get a lock on the abortion clinic, but... it's been more than twenty years, there's no guarantee." Gooshie said.

"There's gotta be, or else we're going to leave Ben trapped in that girl's life. And I never let that happen to Sam, and I won't let it happen to Ben." Al said. "Call me as soon as we have something."

Ben walked down the street and saw a familiar red Camaro sitting in front of a convenience store. Ben stormed into the store and saw Eric standing near the slush machine. He walked up to Eric, glaring at him.

"Oh, hey Becca." Eric said. "What's going on?"

"You know very well what's going on, you bastard."

"I see Jenny told you the details about our fight last night."

"How could you? She needed you, and you just abandoned her?"

"Listen, I don't want to be tied down with a kid! Jenny's nice and all, but she's not the type I want to settle down with."

"That's not your decision any more! The kid is half of your genetics, and you just don't care about it?"

"Come on, I..." Eric started as Ben grabbed him by the collar and pushed him into a wall. Eric looked surprised at the strength that Becca apparently had.

"Listen to me, whatever it is you think you did or didn't do, you created a potential human life, a child and it's your responsibility to stand up and be a man and own up to what you did. And if you can't do that then... you're just the type of person I thought you were when I met you." Ben pushed Eric away and silently walked out of the store.

That evening, it began to rain as Ben ran into Becca's house and slumped by the door in frustration.

"What the hell am I going to do? Even if I find her, what will she do then? How do I get her a safe place to live?" Ben asked.

He got up and walked to the living room where Becca's parents were sitting on the couch watching T.V.

"Hey honey, you're home late." Becca's mother said.

"Yeah..." Ben replied as he got an idea.

"What's wrong, honey?" she asked.

"Well, you guys... you'd love me no matter what, right?"

"Of course!" Becca's father said.

"Even if I... got pregnant?" Ben asked.

"Honey... are you..." Becca's mother asked.

"No, no... But Jenny is... and her parents..." Ben replied.

"Kicked her out? That's terrible!" Becca's father said.

"She could stay with us, right?" Ben asked.

"Of course, you didn't even have to ask." Becca's mother replied.

"That's good." Ben said as he started to relax.

Suddenly Al burst out of the Imaging Chamber door, waving the handlink.

"Ben! We have the address and we're almost out of time. Ziggy puts it at a ninety percent probability that if we don't stop her in five minutes, it'll happen." Al shouted.

"We need to go! Now!" Ben shouted as he hopped up and Becca's parents looked at him shock.

"What's going on?" Becca's mother asked.

"Jenny! She's about to do something terrible! We need to leave now!" Ben shouted.

"I'll get the keys." Becca's father shouted as he ran for his car keys.

They got into the car and began driving as Al barked directions that Ben shouted at Becca's father, who continued to drive the car, unsure about where his daughter was getting the directions from. They pulled up half a block away from the clinic and saw Jenny standing hesitantly near the door of the clinic.

"Let me go first." Ben said as he stepped out of the car, followed by Al and they approached Jenny.

"Go away." Jenny said.

"Listen, you don't have to do this." Ben said.

"Last time I listened to you I got disowned by my parents. I'd rather make my own decisions." Jenny said.

"This time I'm prepared. If you need a place to stay, my parents have okayed it for you to stay with us." Ben said. "I know this is scary and tough, but I swear if you go in there, you'll regret it. You don't have to keep the baby, or you can keep it, it's your choice. But a choice you can make when you're not in this state of mind. You need to be in a stable state of mind to make a decision that could potentially change your life."

"I don't know what to do." Jenny said.

"Then let me help you." Ben said as he held out his hand. Jenny embraced him in a hug and Al gave a thumbs up as he looked at the handlink.  
"You go on ahead to the car. I need a minute." Ben said as Jenny started to walk towards Becca's parents.

Al walked up next to him as they watched Becca's parents comfort Jenny.

"How does she turn out?" Ben asked.

"She's alive. We don't know anything else, but... she's alive." Al replied.

"And the potential baby?" Ben asked.

"Ziggy couldn't find any information about it. I'm sure everything works out."

"Me too, Al. Me too." Ben said as he was engulfed by blue light and began to leap.

Ben's vision faded in and he saw a figure in medieval knight armor brandishing a sword in front of him.

"Halt thief!" the knight shouted.

Ben looked around frantically and then looked at his hand, which was holding a small leather pouch. He looked back at the knight and started to step backwards, hitting a wooden structure.

"Oh boy..." Ben sighed as the knight began running towards him with the sword in front of him.

_**To Be Continued...**_


End file.
